The present disclosure relates to consumable cartridges used in image forming apparatuses, and more specifically to modifications and methods for making modifications to such cartridges to accommodate aftermarket cartridge drive components.
Aftermarket suppliers of imaging consumables, such as toner cartridges for imaging devices, configure their cartridges to be compatible with the drive mechanisms provided on name brand imaging devices. In many instances, suppliers of aftermarket consumable cartridges modify their cartridges to be different from original equipment manufacturer (OEM) cartridges, for example to increase page yield, to make cartridges compatible with additional or different imaging devices, to improve performance with other non-OEM components (such as toner), and the like.
Some aftermarket suppliers remanufacture OEM cartridges. These suppliers collect or otherwise acquire used OEM cartridges, disassemble, clean, and inspect the components, replace any parts that are damaged or worn beyond specified tolerances, and reassemble the components into a complete cartridge with a new supply of toner. Remanufactured cartridges offer many benefits, including a reduced cost compared to OEM cartridges and the diversion of waste material (i.e. the spent OEM cartridge) from the landfill. Like other aftermarket suppliers of imaging consumables, remanufacturers may modify the used cartridges they obtain or use parts configured differently from the OEM cartridge parts in order to obtain one or more of the benefits described above.
One example of an OEM cartridge that may be remanufactured in the manner discussed above is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,121,517 (“the '517 patent”), the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein. The '517 patent discloses a process cartridge that may be mounted within a printer. With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, which correspond to FIGS. 29 and 32, respectively, of the '517 patent, the cartridge includes a coupling member 150 that is pivotally mounted to the end of an organic photoconductive drum 20 rotatably supported within the cartridge. The coupling member 150 is mounted to the drum 20 using a ball-and-socket configuration, including spherical member 160 which functions as the ball and is received by a socket defined by a drum flange 151 mounted in the end of the drum 20. The coupling member 150 also includes a reduced diameter intermediate part 150c that extends away from the spherical member 160 and a driven portion 150a of relatively enlarged diameter and including force receiving portions 150e generally in the form of teeth or dogs configured to receive driving force from the printer.
The coupling member 150 extends through an opening in the side of the cartridge and is surrounded by what the '517 patent describes as a “regulating portion” 170. The regulating portion 170 functions to guide the cartridge into the printer and to limit the extent of pivotal movement of the coupling member 150 in various directions. According to the '517 patent, the regulating portion 170 includes a central opening defined in part by a first arcuate portion 170a through which intermediate part 150c of the coupling member 150 extends. The regulating portion 170 includes an inclination regulating portion 170g that permits angular movement generally in the rearward, downward, and forward directions within a predetermined range of around 20 to 30 degrees depending on the specific orientation of the coupling member 150.
The regulating portion 170 also includes a regulating projection 170c that projects in the axial direction a distance beyond the inclination regulating portion 170g. The regulating projection 170c extends over and above the first arcuate portion 170a and includes a flat surface portion 170e and a second arcuate portion 170d that cooperate to limit pivotal movement of the coupling member 150 in the upward and rearward directions to just a few degrees. The '517 patent refers to the position where the coupling member 150 is substantially axially aligned with the organic photoconductive drum to which it is attached as the “rotational force transmitting angular position.” This position is associated with the cartridge being installed in the printer such that the coupling member 150 is positioned to receive driving rotational force from the printer drive mechanism. FIG. 2, which corresponds to FIG. 32 of the '517 patent, illustrates how the coupling member 150 moves from an angled or “pre-engagement angular position” as shown at (a) to the axially aligned rotational force transmitting angular position as shown at (d) as the cartridge is installed in the printer. When the cartridge is removed from the printer the coupling member 150 moves from the axially aligned rotational force transmitting angular position to the angled pre-engagement angular position. Pivotal movement of the coupling member 150 between these positions during insertion and removal of the cartridge facilitates engagement with and disengagement from the printer drive mechanism.